Secure Rural Schools Extension Amendment Passed Unanimously

During a markup on Wednesday in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Committee), Senators Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and James Rosch (R-Idaho) submitted an amendment to the committee’s infrastructure bill to extend the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program for two years, plus up payments to 2017 levels — the same exact language as the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2021 (S. 435). The amendment passed the Committee unanimously with little discussion. Chairman Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) recommended the Committee “vote yes for the children,” and Senator James Rosch (R-Idaho) thanked all western states and their senators for their continued work on securing a permanent solution for the program.